March 13, 2016

1. Scott Adams blogged: "Let’s stop pretending that other adults are offended by language. That isn’t a thing. We are offended ON BEHALF of people we imagine would be offended. But those people do not exist. Stop imagining offended people."

2. Meade said: "My 90 year-old greatest generation wise beyond her years mother is offended. My mother exists. My mother grew up on a cattle farm in central Indiana. Manure. Blood. Dirt. Guts. Varmints. Sex everywhere you looked. None of that offends her. But Trump does.... She isn't offended on anyone else's behalf. She isn't offended by any of his words. She's offended by Trump. She has voted Republican her entire life. But she's offended by Trump."

3. At the last debate and in the press conference with Ben Carson that followed, Trump introduced a new elegant, calm, presidential tone, which I blogged about here, causing R. Chatt, in the comments, to ask: "What does Meade's mother think? Is she persuaded by Trump's less offensive demeanor?"

5. About an hour and a half later, Meade came back with: "@R. Chatt, I finally got a hold of her. She said she spent the morning out on her front porch in the sun watching cement trucks moving around and she forgot to take her phone with her. Quotes: 'Oh, I hated seeing the doctor [Ben Carson] line up behind Trump,' 'Ben might be able to keep Donald in line.' Asked about her opinion of DT's behavior during the debate last night: 'Better than usual. Trump seems to appreciate the doctor.' 'It will be hard for [Trump] to change his me, myself, and I attitude and his being money hungry because he's too old to change.' Mother said she will 'hope for the best' and will 'pray' because 'even though prayer doesn't always give us what we want, it never hurts to pray that God's will be done.' When I told her that you were interested in her opinions, she said, 'Oh, well, isn't she NICE?' By the way, I've never known my mother to use sarcasm."

6. 2 days after that, amba said: "Meade should start a blog called 'Shit My Mom Says.' She's very wise."

7. I remember the old "Shit My Dad Says" twitter feed, which recorded the things comedy writer Justin Halpern's dad said. The dad really did use words like shit (and worse). Example: "1st amendment doesn't protect assholes from criticism. The right to act like an asshole and be called an asshole's the same fucking right." That's from 3 years ago, so don't think it's Trump-inspired, even though it's Trump-applicable.

8. But, of course, Meade's mother would never use words like that, as amba necessarily knows, which is why we found her comment so amusing and I'm writing this list.

Meade no offense but at 19 its possible to be wise beyond his or her years. At 90, you're just wise (if not demented).

Chickelit I suspect your right. I do believe older woman resent Trump having multiple great looking wives, dumping the first for a younger beauty then the same with the second all the while making out great financially in divorce court and with his children by all of his wives not hating him and all seem to be great kids. It just doesn't seem fair to them.

People should only use offensive words if they are absolutely fucking necessary.

That said:

Sometimes an offensive word simply enhances the rhythm of a statement.

"Asshole" is a two-note lick that can be added almost everywhere, like a Chuck Berry Riff.

Most pop songs are in 4/4 time. "Motherfucker" follows a simple 4/4 beat, downbeat on 'Mo'. Think of the Ohio Players singing "Rollercoaster". Now tap your foot accordingly. If you want to end on an uplift, like a high cymbal hit, use "Motherfucking."

"Cocksucker" works great when one wants the feel of a waltz. Cock-SUCK-er, Cock-SUCK-er: see you're almost dancing.

The media and the elite think they've found the formular to stop Trump.

"It has been publicly documented that Occupy Wall Street-type protesters influenced by MoveOn.org, a group inspired by domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and similar friends of fundamental transformer Barack Obama, purposefully targeted Donald Trump's Chicago rally with intent to incite violence and create chaos.

On cue, major media networks, the DNC (redundant, I know), and GOP "elites" desperate to preserve the status quo of "Think Tank Life" seem motivated to stereotype Donald Trump and his voters as "the problem." Before our very eyes, we are witnessing "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" philosophy writ large. Strange bedfellows, indeed, when liberals, progressives, #BlackLivesMatter crazies, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich unite to defeat their arch-enemy: Donald Trump. Or is their enemy we?"

"Perhaps a better analogy for the Trump phenomenon is that he more resembles what is called a liposome than any form of medicine. A liposome is a microscopic membrane shell that can be used to encapsulate things such as antibiotics and deliver them more effectively to specifically targeted areas of infection (I only know this because I’m invested in a biotech that’s using liposomes to deliver a common antibiotic directly to serious lung infections). What’s the use in administering a known effective drug (even a superior one) if it has little chance of ever reaching its intended target

When certain infections are left untreated for too long, the bacteria can form a slime-like protective barrier called a biofilm that is extremely resistant to antibiotics. By using liposomes to carry medicine with an electric charge opposite that of the biofilm, instead of getting hung up in the biofilm (opposite charges attract), some of the same (previously ineffective) antibiotic is able to slip past the biofilm before being released where the bacteria are hiding, giving the drug a much higher chance of eradicating the disease."

"Most Americans who recognize the rapidly fading health of this nation are intelligent enough to read and understand the Trump warning label with its list of possible side-effects. The Trump phenomenon shows just how desperate Americans are in that so many are willing to accept these potential side-effects for the possibility of seeing a cure delivered to even one area of this progressive disease."

@ Dreams when Trump is considered the most effective treatment available the patient has to be awfully ill. Considering the state of the country and the economy for most of the people the country is really ill. Trump is strong medicine with serious potential side effects but what are the Democrat's offering as treatment? The psuedo-science of Communist Sanders or the opiate of the felonious criminal traitor Clinton? And people wonder why Trump has such appeal at this time.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but the biggest problem we are having in relating to others today is old good people demanding that everyone agree with them based on a world that stopped changing about 1980. It must still be judged like they sucessfully were doing it when they were active adult participants and working and playing. But before computers, faxes, emails, cell phones, sexual mores with no restraints, gays honored, Feminists in power, life expectancy of 92 instead of 72, and social internet on digital devices.

Patience is needed, and add to that some long suffering and keeping one's mouth mostly shut.

Yes, Trump on the stump is crude. Salty, if you will. That's his schtick. I'm not offended - neither for myself or for "someone else."

What DOES offend me is imprecise and unconcise English use by professional writers of newspaper articles.

Failure of professional writers to develop and maintain a simple, coherent, body of English Language Law is not as despairing as failure of Legislators to develop a simple, coherent Legal Code - but it is close.

Contractions (he'd, they'll, we'd) are distasteful but tolerable in direct quotes. They show a failing of the speaker. In indirect quotes, the show a failing of the writer.

Double possessives are often imprecise and always unconcise. The only virtue of "a book of John's" rather than "John's book" is a $0.05 gain for writers who get paid by the character.

In the possessive phrase "Smith, who is a supporter of Trump's ..." who is the possessor, and what is possessed? Does Trump even know of the existence of Smith? Why not simply "Smith supports Trump."

"Bodily fluid" or "bodily function" vs. "body fluid" or "body function;" no gain in clarity, gain of $0.02 for the writer.

Get a haircut, put on a suit, and go up to each good-looking young woman you see and tell her that you're "very, very wealthy" and that she looks like "a young and beautiful piece of ass."

Your mileage may vary.

3/13/16, 6:56 PM"

Many, many years ago when I was young and single and going to the bars and clubs wearing a very expensive suit and watch did catch attention of the fine pieces of ass and paying with C notes did impress along with the expensive car. Your mileage may vary but please do get get to work and conduct the experiment.

Thanks to Meade’s mom for her sharing her thoughts and for the follow up. The compliment is much appreciated, very kind.

I do appreciate her discomfort with the coarseness of Trump, but sometimes “it takes a thorn to remove a thorn.” Many other commentators have said the same in different words. Lots of people find Trump’s natural bluntness as relatable. I couldn’t imagine him getting any popularity if he affected a superior attitude.

Regarding Trump’s past greed, he’s admitted that publicly. Another time he said his candidacy is his way of giving back, that it’s time for him to pay back what he owes for his success. He wants to do that by helping the country and the people. Lots of people probably dismiss this but I don’t. Running for President is too difficult: the scrutiny and verbal abuse, not to mention the physical threats? He’s not doing it for the money.

Trump offers a lot more than the average professional politician. Will he eventually become President? I don’t know. That’s a long way off. I believe he could be great, but there is so much division we might never get there.

Cubanbob, your reading comprehension is substandard. The experiment is for you--and I mean only you--and you must follow my instructions in all venues and at all times. Otherwise, you haven't done the experiment.

Blogger ddh said...Cubanbob, your reading comprehension is substandard. The experiment is for you--and I mean only you--and you must follow my instructions in all venues and at all times. Otherwise, you haven't done the experiment.

3/13/16, 7:29 PM

Your reading comprehension is also substandard as you were also specifically tasked with conducting the experiment yet you dodge. Now get back to work.

They're right about Hillary. No republican can possibly keep her from the oval office.

3/13/16, 7:21 PM

Billionaires live in a bubble. Among the little people Clinton's graft and corruption aren't positive selling points. Her criminal conduct as a cabinet officer isn't a selling point either. Any Republican that goes after her full bore on graft, corruption and her criminal conduct as an officer of The United States would have to cursed by God to lose to her.

Thank you for proving my point that Scott Adams was exaggerating the social acceptance of Donald Trump's language and that chicklit was wrong in saying that Donald Trump's difficulty with women voters was mostly due to older women objecting to trophy wives. Your reluctance to conduct my experiment tells me that you know what the outcome would be. We're done.

What exactly does it mean to say "I'm offended"? Suppose I am in a spirited discussion with someone and they answer my argument with a counter-argument that I cannot answer, and I reply "I'm greatly offended by what you just said." I think many people, particularly those involved in political arguments, use this phrase in just this way--as a conversation stopper.

A legitimate use of the phrase is when someone gets in your face and viciously insults you, your kids, or your wife or girlfriend. In these cases, the phrase becomes a metaphor for a left hook to the jaw. And the "fighting words" defense comes into play.

In all other cases, the person who claims great offense over what somebody said about a stranger is really saying "I strongly disagree about what you just said and I think you are a bad person for saying it".

ddh's comment reminds me of my encounters of last week. As background, I drive a nice sedan, dress very well and have a neat haircut. I'm not one for jeans and ball caps. I had to swap vehicles with a buddy to move some boxes from one office to the next and he lent me his brand new F150 4x4 -- a really fine looking vehicle.

On the day I moved I saw no need to waste a shower so I just tossed on a golf hat and hopped in "my truck". I made two trips over the course of about twelve miles and have never in my life received so many looks from young ladies!

I will pray to god to discover how I really feel, in a way that is consistent with what ideals I've reinforced over an entire lifetime of praying, sounds fine. While you could do better, you sure aren't likely to.

An alternative discipline I enjoy is trying to think about what's *really* most likely and choosing the simplest / lowest-risk satisfactory option. But you fool yourself if you think you're ever unbiased. At least when it comes to socially-charged matters. The pressure to conform is enormous.

I don't either unless what is written is addressed directly at them and they respond. Otherwise it is just you being offended by what you perceive as an insult to you're beloved mother. Who, lets face it, could give a rats ass about what is written on this board. But get this. Not all mothers are beloved.

chickelit said..."Trump offends many older women -- my mother is one of them. I think it's primarily (and primordially) the trophy wife thing he has going."

Did your mother actually tell you that? Or are you just using your imagination?

Suggestion: Call your mother (if she's 75 or older, you really should be checking in on her every day anyway, you know) and ask her if it's "the trophy wife thing he has going".

I'll bet you a Coke that the thing most offensive to your mother is the thing that offends most decent Americans, old, young, male or female — it's Trump's strong tendency to pimp out his wife (wives), family, and supporters (followers).